Questionnaires

The Baseline Questionnaire

Information on the health of 45 and Up Study participants has been collected using a Baseline Questionnaire that was mailed to people in the target age range selected at random from the Medicare Australia enrolment database.The baseline data collected covers more than a quarter of a million men and women aged 45 and over.

People living in rural areas and those aged 80 years and over were oversampled so we could obtain a particularly clear statistical picture of these groups. Separate questionnaires were devised for men and women so we could ask questions specific to each group.

The results of information gathered from both baseline questionnaires can be found in the Study’s Data Book.

Note on Questionnaire versions

Over the recruitment period, the baseline questionnaire was modified in an attempt to better capture data on common illnesses and physical activity. Detailed information relating to these changes and their potential impact on 45 and Up data is provided in the Summary of Modifications to the 45 and Up Study Baseline Questionnaire below. Version 3b of the Questionnaire shown above on this page is the last version used. The variable version_no in the dataset identifies which version of the questionnaire was completed, however it does not differentiate between versions 3, 3a and 3b as the latter two have only minor modifications.

Version 2 questionnaires replaced the original version in October 2007, and version 3 questionnaires were mailed from November 2007 to October 2008.

Baseline questionnaire version 3a – Female
Baseline questionnaire version 3a – Male
Baseline questionnaire version 3 – Female
Baseline questionnaire version 3 – Male
Baseline questionnaire version 2 – Female
Baseline questionnaire version 2 – Male
Baseline questionnaire version 1 – Female
Baseline questionnaire version 1 – Male

  • Download the Questionnaire modifications document (PDF 162KB) for a complete summary of modifications made to the Baseline Questionnaire.

Missing and invalid values

The Follow-up Questionnaire

Every few years participants are sent follow-up questionnaires so we can determine how their health and lifestyles are changing over time.

The first round of follow-up was undertaken between 2012 and 2016. The next wave of follow-up is now underway and will continue until around 2020. Many of the questions asked in the first and second surveys are repeated, but there are also some new questions. These are designed to add depth to the information already collected.